A Change in Plans
by kaszalot
Summary: (Draco MalfoyxOC) Draco and Allison have no clue how to look after a baby on their own let alone raise one. But when their best friends die and leave their daughter to them, it seems that Allison and Draco have no other choice. Will they be able to shape up and become proper parents? Or will their personal differences get in the way of their parenting?
1. Prologue

"STELLA," SAYS MY best friend, Daphne, as she looks at her baby girl for the first time. I smile, Stella is my middle name. Allison Stella Prewett. I am standing beside Daphne's hospital bed in St. Mungo's next to her husband, Blaise, and his best friend, Draco.

Draco and I have never really got on, but to support our friends we decide to try and ignore our differences on special occasions.

Today is definitely one of those occasions, as Daphne went into labor while we were in the middle of a meeting at work. Despite her approved maternity leave, Daphne refused to stay home from this meeting in particular because it was the one that was recognizing me as the new CEO of McLaggen Industries.

McLaggen Industries is all about music, fashion and art forms, everything I believe should be more prevalent in Magical Culture. The owner, Cormac McLaggen, went to school a year above me, but all I knew about him was that he was after a lot of different girls over the course of his Hogwarts years.

When Daphne went into labor, I immediately had to phone Blaise, who agreed to apparate to the hospital after he went and got Draco. I groaned but took Daphne to the hospital by floo network, it was the fastest and safest way since she was pregnant.

Her labor lasted for about four hours before she got to the point where she could give birth, so it was about 3:00 pm. She and Blaise didn't want to know the sex of the baby until it was born, so when the baby was born we were all pleasantly surprised to find that it was a girl.

"Stella Astoria," Daphne says finally. I reach out to squeeze her hand but it seems Blaise beats me to it. Astoria was Daphne's younger sister who died in the Battle of Hogwarts.

"That's lovely, Daph," I say, smiling at her.

"Now that the baby is born and healthy, well, we'd like to ask the two of you something," Blaise says. Draco and I turn to look at each other in curiosity. It is evident that neither of us know what they are going to ask. "Would you be the Godparents?

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	2. Chapter 1

_Now that it's over_

 _I just wanna hold her_

 _I'd give up all the world to see_

 _That little piece of heaven looking back at me_

"ALLISON, IT'S OKAY. You will find someone eventually," says my Aunt Molly Weasley at my cousin George's wedding. Molly was my father Fabian's sister before he was murdered in the First Wizarding War. I was raised by my mother, Sarah, until she died in the Second Wizarding War.

Ever since my cousins started marrying off Molly has been trying to urge me to find a date. I was just waiting for a certain guy to come along.

"I'm fine, Molly," I say, taking her hand. "I really am."

"I mean I'm sure that Harry knows some people who would love to go out with you!"

"I will be fine on my own Molly," I say finally. She nods in understanding but I can see the worry in her eyes. She just wants the best for me, I know that much. She took me in when my mother died and made a point to make me apart of her family. Suddenly I feel a surge of guilt for rejecting her offer, so I decide to take it up. "You know what Molly? I will go on a date if Harry knows someone who would be interested."

"Oh that's wonderful!" Molly beams, clapping her hands in delight. She immediately gets up to go find Harry to tell him the good news. Suddenly I get a call on my muggle phone, I only got it because it is quicker communication than patronus and I need to be able to help Daphne whenever she needs me.

"Allison, you have to get here right now," says the shaky voice on the other end of the phone, who turns out to be Draco. He is sniffling a bit and doesn't sound well at all. "It's an emergency."

"Wait what's happened?" I question. Are Daphne and Blaise okay? Is Stella okay?

"I'll explain when you get here but you have to get to St. Mungo's right away," he says urgently. I agree to be there as soon as I can and then I weave through the crowd to find Molly to tell her I'm leaving.

WHEN I GET TO St. Mungo's, Draco is waiting in the hallway for me. When he notices me, he gets up and runs over to me.

He looks like he has been crying. His eyelids are swollen, his eyes are bloodshot, and his hair is messy like he has been pulling at it. When I ask what happened he seems to break down all over again.

"They're dead, Al," Draco says through a panicked tone. "Blaise and Daphne were killed in a car accident."

"Is Stella okay?" I ask anxiously. I can't lose all three of them.

"Yes. Right now she is in the nursery but they won't let me see her," Draco explains.

"They have to let us see her we are her godparents!" I shout. I begin to storm to the nursery, whether they like it or not I am seeing my goddaughter tonight.

"For the last time, ma'am, we cannot let her out of our custody until the will is discussed."

"I don't give a damn, i am her godmother! My best friend just died and you won't even let me see the only thing there is left of her. Please," I start to beg. "Let me see Stella."

The healer looks wary but a veil of guilt covers that up as she walks from around the counter to show us into the nursery.

It isn't until I am standing there holding Stella that it truly hits me that they are gone. 

"YOU HAVE TO BE mistaken," I say to the lawyer for about the billionth time as we sit to discuss. "Can't we just have joint custody of her without living together?"

"Yeah, I could have her every other week," Draco agrees. The lawyer shakes his head and looks at us with pity.

"I'm afraid that the will strictly says you must take care of her together," he says. "So I ask you one last time Miss Prewett, Mr. Malfoy. Do you agree to raise Stella together and become her legal guardians?"

I hesitate for a moment but when I look at Draco, he nods.

"Yes, we agree."

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	3. Chapter 2

"Allison you can't let her watch that rubbish," Draco scolds as I sit on the couch with Stella watching the muggle tv shows. Currently, we are watching a show called 'Say Yes to the Dress' which is about Brides-to-be trying on dresses to try and find their perfect wedding dress. I like it, but apparently Draco thought it was rubbish.

"It's not rubbish! One day, Stella may be going with me to pick out a dress for my wedding and this teaches her what brides are like when planning their wedding!" I insist. Draco simply rolls his eyes and picks up the remote from the table. "Hey!"

"We need to have her watching things that will make her smarter," he explains. I stick my tongue out at him. "All that show will do is turn her into a bridezilla before she can talk."

"But come on, Draco, the kiddy shows are so lame!" I complain. He shakes his head and puts the remote back as he takes his seat on the couch to watch whatever kiddy garbage he put on. I think this one is called 'Word World'. "Oh, Draco, I just remembered. I told my Aunt Molly that I would bring Stella over for a little while today, she's been dying to meet her. So I am probably going to go over to the Burrow after lunch."

"Wait what am I supposed to do while you're gone?" Draco asks. "We are off of work for a week and I obviously can't hang out with my best friend."

"You could go see your mother, go on a date, read a few books," I list, but I feel bad for him. I'm not the only one who just lost a best friend. "Or you can come with us if you so please."

"They're all going to stare at me," Draco says to me as we are stood at the front door to the Burrow with Stella. We have yet to knock because Draco is beginning to contemplate actually going inside.

"It will be fine," I say. I knock three times on the door and within a few seconds the door flies open. Instead of Aunt Molly, whom I was expecting to open the door, it is a two year old Teddy Lupin. "Hey there, little man!"

"Auntie Allie!" he shouts, jumping into a hug. Draco shifts Stella in his arms awkwardly. Molly arrives at the door and smiles warmly at me and she welcomes us in. I set Teddy down and take Stella from Draco as I walk into the sitting room, witch has all my cousins (aside from Angelina and George, who were on their honeymoon) sat and chatting about. I reckon Molly gathered them to meet the baby. They all seem to stop talking however when they see Draco.

Harry is the first to move. He gets up from his seat and walks over to Draco. Draco looks scared for a moment until Harry engulfs him in a hug. He pulls away and looks at Draco before saying, "I know that the things you did during the war were only to protect the ones you love. And I don't fault you for that. Your mother saved my life, I owe it to you to give you a second chance."

After that, all my other cousins started becoming warmer towards Draco. Everyone was cooing over Stella, especially Teddy. He was acting like she was his own little sister. Little Victoire seemed to be a bit jealous that Stella was getting all the attention though, for she was pouting on her mother, Fleur's lap.

Draco seemed to really relax and feel at home at the Burrow, which made me glad. Even though he and I hadn't gotten along in the past, I think that we grew closer when Daphne and Blaise died.

"Oh, Al, there is one more thing we wanted you here for!" Harry says happily as we all sat at the table for pudding. I look at him questioningly. "I asked a friend of mine to come over today. The friend that Molly asked me to set you up with."

Draco chokes on the pumpkin juice he is drinking as Harry smiles sheepishly at me. Suddenly the door opens and in walks Oliver Wood, whom I haven't seen since the War. He smiles at me and instantly I melt.

"Hey," I say, walking over to him. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah," he agrees. "I'd say you were a sight for sore eyes."

I giggle and blush and Draco walks over with Stella.

"Oliver," Draco says, extending a hand to shake. Oliver takes it before turning back to me.

"I apologize, I was under the impression that you weren't in a relationship," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. My eyes widen as I realize what he is thinking.

"Oh, no! Draco and I aren't together!" I exclaim. Oliver still looks confused and gestures to Stella. "Stella is our Goddaughter. We are just raising her together."

"That must be an interesting family dynamic," Oliver chuckles.

"Yeah it is actually," I say with a smile.

"So anyways, I wanted to know if you would go on a date with me on Saturday," Oliver asks. Draco clears his throat and I turn to look at him.

"I have to go back to work on Saturday," he explains. "And I'm working late. You have to watch Stella."

"I can drop her off at your mother's then," I suggest. "Just for the evening."

"Mother can't, she will be hosting a meeting of the Witch Weekly board of editors," he says. Narcissa bought Witch Weekly after the War, so now she is on the board of editors as the owner. "You'll have to take a raincheck on this date of yours."

"Nonsense!" Molly interjects. "I'm sure Narcissa will be fine to let me watch her Saturday evening."

"That sounds good to me!" I say smiling, although Draco is grimacing. Oliver beams and says his goodbyes before disapparating.

We spent about an hour more at the Burrow, but Draco was in a sour mood the rest of the time we were there. Molly sent us home with lots of food, and as soon as we got home it was time to put Stella to bed. That night, as soon as my head touched the pillow I fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 3

"You're seriously going on a date?" Draco asks me over the phone as I am standing outside the Burrow waiting for Molly to come to the door. Draco has been nagging me ever since I agreed to go on this date with Oliver. "You're going to leave Stella with someone else while you go off gallivanting with some old flame?"

"Oliver is not an old flame, first of all," I say with a roll of my eyes. "Second of all, she will be in excellent care with my Aunt Molly. She will even have a playmate because Molly said that she will be babysitting Teddy as well. So I know that Stella will be in good hands tonight."

"Come on, Al," he pleads. "Wood is bad news. Something about him seemed really off when he came to meet you."

"Relax Draco, if you are that worried about her, take off work and you watch her," I say finally as Molly opens the door and takes Stella and her baby bag. I silently mouth, 'Thank you' and she closes the door. "Now I have to go. I will talk to you tonight. Bye Draco."

"You look lovely," Oliver says to me as I approach him at the restaurant.

"Thank you," I say, blushing and giggling slightly. The host leads us to our secluded table for two and brings us each a glass of butterbeer.

After dinner, Oliver took me to a Muggle theatre with a movie playing. I had seen movies before, having been friends with Hermione, but never had I seen one on such big a screen. After the movie was over we went for a walk in a park and just spent good time with each other.

After the date, which was lovely I might add, Oliver and I are stood in front of the doors to my house.

"I had a wonderful time," I say, smiling up at him. He grins and kisses me. I continue to kiss him until the door opens and Draco clears his throat.

"Are you aware of what time it is, Allison?" he asked expectantly. I roll my eyes and kiss Oliver goodbye before walking past Draco and hanging up my jacket. "It is Half Two in the morning!"

"I'm aware, Draco," I say, not worried about waking Stella. She was spending the night at the Burrow since both Draco and I would be coming home late. "I'm not a child."

"No, but you are a parent now," he argues. "You can't just be coming home from dates late all the time. It's irresponsible."

"Don't come at me with that, Draco!" I shout. "Just because I'm not what you would describe as responsible does not make me a bad parent. I love Stella! Just because you were ready to be a dad does not mean that you can turn this around on me and say I'm a bad mum. I was not ready to be a parent, Draco! You were!"

"Not without my best friend to help me out, Allison!" he yells. The vein in his forehead is bulging and his ears are turning red so I know I have made him angry. "I was ready to be a dad with someone I loved! I was ready to become a dad with my best friend by my side so that he could help me out when I had questions! Daphne and Blaise always knew what to do! So no, Allison, I was not ready to be the dad of my best friends' baby without them."

"They were my best friends too, Draco," I say softly. I begin to feel a surge of guilt for yelling at him. "I just don't know how to be a parent."

"That's why they chose both of us," he says quietly, grabbing my hands. "They chose us so that we could help each other because I think they knew that the only way we could get through this was with each other and with Stella."

"I wasn't ready for them to be gone, Draco," I cry, leaning into his shoulder. He wraps his arms around me protectively and cries along with me.

That is the closest I have ever felt to Draco Malfoy.


	5. Chapter 4

"AUNT MOLLY, I don't know what to do!" I cry. Stella started bawling a half an hour ago and when I couldn't get her to stop I started. "She's crying and now I'm crying and I just don't know how to make her stop!"

"Allie just relax," she says calmly. "Try singing to her."

"Singing to her?" I whisper to myself. I give a quick thanks to Molly before hanging up the phone. I look at Stella who is crying in my arms still and begin to sing a soft lullaby to her that my mother used to sing to me.

 _"Hush little baby, don't say a word,  
Mummy's gonna buy you a mocking bird._

 _And if that mocking bird won't sing,  
Mummy's gonna buy you a diamond ring._

 _And if that diamond ring turns brass,  
Mummy's gonna buy you a looking glass._

 _And if that looking glass gets broke,  
Mummy's gonna buy you a billy goat._

 _And if that billy goat won't pull,  
Mummy's gonna buy you a cart and bull._

 _And if that cart and bull turn over,  
Mummy's gonna buy you a dog named Rover._

 _And if that dog named Rover won't bark,  
Mummy's gonna buy you a horse and cart._

And if that horse and cart fall down,  
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town." by the time I finish singing, Stella is fast asleep, so I set her in her crib.

"I don't think it truly sunk in until you called yourself Mummy," Draco says from the doorway. He had gone out to get dinner for us. I think about what he said for a moment, I guess we are her Mummy and Daddy. I find my stomach turning, but not necessarily in a bad way. I look up at Draco who has an unreadable expression.

"I know it probably shouldn't, but it feels right calling myself Mummy," I say with a sad smile. I don't want Stella to grow up not knowing who her birth parents were. They loved her so much and they were such amazing people.

"At work yesterday someone looked at the picture of her on my desk and asked if she was my daughter," Draco mentioned. It is Saturday evening, a week after my date with Oliver, and I went back to work on Monday. Now Draco and I are both at work again and drop Stella off at the Burrow or Malfoy Manor in the mornings. "And I didn't even hesitate before saying yes."

"We just have to make sure we don't let her grow up without knowing about how much Daphne and Blaise cared for her," I add. Draco nods solemnly and we just sit there for the next few minutes in a comfortable silence. That is, before Draco's mobile phone rings.

"Hello?" he answers. "No I just got home from work. Yeah we can go see a muggle film or something. Okay. Sounds splendid. I'll pick up you in ten."

"Who was that?" I ask. He looks down a little before answering me.

"A girl from work... My girlfriend actually... Her name's Scarlet," He answers slowly, seemingly afraid of my reaction.

"Oh, okay. So you're going out tonight?" I conclude. He nods and tells me that I can eat without him and that he will just get something for himself while he's out.

"You aren't upset that I'm going out, right?" he confirms. I nod vigorously while putting on a smile.

"Of course not!" I reassure him. He sighs with relief and seems to be a lot less tense. "I mean, why should I care who you date? I went out with Oliver and it didn't phase you, right?"

Draco looks at the floor for a few seconds before saying, "Yeah no, of course not. I totally didn't care."

I smile and give him a quick hug before taking the box of pizza Draco picked up and heading up to my guest room. As soon as I get in there a sudden wave of sadness comes over me. I decide to pick up my phone and call Hermione. She agrees to come over and when she does, she comes straight up to my room. I offer her a slice of pizza, which she respectfully denies, as she sits down on my bed next to me.

"So what's up, Al?" she asks. I sigh and tell her how Draco was going on a date and how I didn't understand why it was bothering me because I didn't like him, right? She looks at me knowingly. "Allison I think you know what I'm going to say."

"But Hermione, I just don't understand why," I moan, falling backwards onto my pillow. She sighs before falling back beside me.

"Allie, you aren't supposed to understand it at first," she says smartly. I suddenly feel very grateful that I have her in my life. "That's what love is. You know how it was when I first started to like Ron."

"Yeah. It was in third year I believe?" I question, turning my head to her. She giggles and nods as I chuckle and turn my head back to the ceiling. "But it can't work out between Draco and I. He has a girlfriend and I have Oliver. Plus we only just recently stopped hating each other's existence."

"Oh come on, Allison!" Hermione presses. "You didn't hate each other, it was just playful banter. I'm sure that if you didn't argue a lot you two would have had something missing from your lives!"

"That is so not true!" I object with a laugh.

"But I don't think you should keep seeing Oliver if you know you have feelings for Draco. You should tell him how you feel," Hermione says seriously after we calm down from our laughing fit. I sigh. Then, my phone rings. Hermione and I both sit up as I pick it up to answer.

"This is Allison." I say and I can practically hear Hermione roll her eyes at my answer line.

"Hey, it's Oliver," says the voice on the other end of the phone. I mouth to Hermione that it's Oliver before discretely putting it on speaker phone so she can hear what he says. "I was just wondering if you would like to do lunch on Tuesday?"

Hermione gives me a look telling me to say no, but I decide to go against it and tell him yes. After I hang up the phone I can feel Hermione scolding me without even having to look at her.

"Al, you can't ignore your feelings for Draco forever," she sighs. When I look her in the face I know she is right. "You're just going to make yourself miserable."

"I just don't want to ruin what we have now. We have known each other for what, ten years?" I hesitate. Hermione nods and gestures for me to continue. "And we didn't start becoming actual friends until about a month ago."

"I just don't want you to be upset," Hermione says sadly. "I don't like seeing you hurt."

"I know, Mione."

AS I WALK into my building, I am stopped by one of my co workers, Ana.

"Oh my Merlin, Allison!" she exclaims, jumping up and down. "I had no idea! This is so wonderful congratulations!"

"What?" I mumble, confused as to what she is referring. Ana, however, is completely oblivious to my confusion.

"We have to start planning immediately! Start a registry, plan a baby shower-"

"A baby shower?!" I question loudly, looking at her like she is insane. She stares blankly at me for a second before furrowing her eyebrows and pulling a copy of the Daily Prophet out of her bag. The headline reads, 'New mom Allison Prewett PREGNANT! Is it too soon?' "Bloody Hell."

"You are pregnant, aren't you?" Ana asks hesitantly. I shake my head and she pales in the face instantly. "I'll let your assistant know to call the Daily Prophet immediately."

Ana rushes off, and I am there, standing frozen, staring at the article. What is Draco going to think?

I am sitting at my desk, not doing anything, when my assistant Sandra tells me there is someone to see me. I tell her to send them in, and through my door walks Oliver.

"You're pregnant?" he almost yells, somewhat silencing me. Hearing his voice raised really terrifies me. I have never seen him display a negative emotion, so him being angry is really scary. Instead of defending myself, I am sat stunned in my chair as he rants to me. "I thought maybe we had something, Allison. But of course, just like in school, you only have eyes for Draco. At least that's my guess as to who the father is. I mean, why would it be anyone else?"

"I-"

"No, don't say anything," Oliver cuts me off, the vein in his forehead beginning to protrude. My eyes fill with tears as he looks away and storms out of my office. _Of course_. I think. Just when things start to be good.

"CONGRATULATIONS, Prewett." Draco says coldly to me as I walk into the living room where Draco is sat on the couch and Stella is in her playpen. "I suppose now that it's your real baby you'll try harder with this one."

"Draco, please don't do this," I sigh. "I have had a really rough day. Please just let me explain-"

"Are you kidding me?" he interrupts, standing up to face me. "Did you just decide that having a kid with Wood was more important than raising Stella?"

"No, Draco, it was just-"

"Just what? Just an accident? Just a mistake?" he interrogates me. Unlike with Oliver I am not scared when Draco and I argue. It is just what happens in our natural order of things. "Did you ever stop to think that your mistakes don't just effect you anymore? They effect Stella, and they effect me. Did you know that Scarlet is mad at me right now because she thinks that I'm the one who got you pregnant? _Merlin_ , Allison, you only think about yourself!"

"The article isn't true, Draco!" I shout finally, Having had enough with his accusations. "Did you see that _Rita Skeeter_ wrote it? I'm not bloody pregnant! But no one seems to believe that maybe I would have told them if I actually was. Everyone seems to just think that I am self centered and only concerned about what happens to me. Nobody seems to think 'Hey, maybe she actually does care for people'! I just wish you would see that I love our family more than anything in the world and that is what comes first right now. Not Oliver, who broke up with me today because of that article I might add. Not any guy will ever come in between me and our family, Draco. But if you don't believe me right now, I'll give you the rest of the week to think it over."

"Allison, wait," Draco pleads, grabbing my hand. "I didn't-"

"You didn't know?" I ask, tears freely falling down my face. "Well maybe if you'd have thought to ask me."

I don't wait for him to say any more as I pick up Stella and her baby bag and walk out the door to apparate. Once I get to the Burrow, I knock on the door. When Molly sees me crying she pulls me into her arms and invites me inside. Naturally she asks me what is wrong and as I explain myself, she rubs my back and consoles me.

So much for saving my relationship with Draco.

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	6. Chapter 5

THE NEXT FEW days at the Burrow were mostly spent in Ginny's old bedroom as I wallowed in self-pity. Since I was the C.E.O now, I could choose my own hours. So I decided to take a few days to myself and Stella. Draco was calling me nonstop and Ginny and Hermione made constant visits to me to try to talk it out.

"Maybe this is just the time to talk to Draco about how you feel," Hermione says one day as we are sitting at the kitchen table. We are eating breakfast and I am picking at my food. She is trying to convince me to meet up with Draco like he wants to. He has been visiting Stella frequently, but every time he comes over I flee to my room. I have not been in the mood to see him. "The time to tell him you have feelings for him."

"Well he obviously doesn't reciprocate them if he was so much more worried about what his girlfriend would think than how I was feeling," I say somewhat sadly. I look at my hands as Hermione sets a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure the two of them are having a lovely time right now without me."

"Stop that, Al," Ginny says from the doorway. I look at her face to see an empathetic expression. I know Ginny and Hermione mean well, I just can't help but just feel awful about everything. I miss Daphne. She would take me by the shoulders and say, 'Pull yourself together, Alli, this isn't you', and 'Allison if you don't stand up right now and admit you're an awesome independent woman dammit, I _will_ pour a jug of water on you'.

I smile slightly as I gather enough encouragement to start getting ready. I brush out my hair and pick out an outfit before looking towards Ginny and Hermione who seem thoroughly confused.

"Thank you both," I say with a smile. They soon crack grins as well as they start fussing over the 'proper makeup spell to use for _this_ occasion' and I turn to see Stella giggling happily in her crib.

I TAKE A DEEP breath and thank Daphne's memory one last time before I ring the doorbell to Daphne and Blaise's old place. I know that that is where Draco is still staying. When the door opens, however, it isn't Draco to greet me.

"Hi! And who might you be?" asks a tall brunette from the doorway. I lose my breath for a moment before answering.

"Er, I'm Allison," I manage to say without a stutter. I am in complete shock. "I'm here to see Draco."

"Oh!" she immediately exclaims. "You're Allison! It is so nice to meet you! I'm Scarlet."

"Of course you are," I mutter quietly as she sticks her left hand out to shake mine. I go to shake but freeze when I see the rock on her ring finger. Just with my luck for the evening, Draco appears at the door.

"Who is-" Draco stops in his track as he stares at me in surprise. "Allison."

He opens his mouth to say something more but closes it once again as he follows my gaze to Scarlet's left hand.

"Allison, I-" he tries to say but all I can do is disapparate.

AFTER MUCH ARGUING with Hermione, I decide to move back home with Stella. I figure it's only fair that Draco and I carry out our Godparent duties by raising her together. I shift uncomfortably in the kitchen as I wait for Draco to get home. Stella is cooing happily in her playpen but I can't seem to relax. What will he say? What if he brings Scarlet home?

My thoughts are interrupted when the door opens and in walks Draco.

"Allison?" he asks as he enters the room. I fixate my gaze on my shoes as he approaches and sits next to me. "Listen, I just want to explain myself-"

"You don't have to, Draco," I cut him off, turning to face him. "I understand that you are in love with Scarlet and so getting married is the next big step. It's okay, Draco. You aren't bound to me. I'm just your co-Godparent."

"I know, but I still should have tried to tell you sooner," he argues softly, reaching over to grab my hand. As soon as he touches me I pull my hand and look away. He is engaged. I have to get over him.

"I didn't give you the chance, did I?" I reply, slowly meeting his gaze. He looks at me apologetically. I bite my lip to hold back from crying, which is what I so badly have the urge to do.

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	7. Chapter 6

After my encounter with Scarlet she seemed very adamant on me being apart of the wedding. She figured that since Draco and I raised Stella together that I was a big enough part of his life to be apart of his wedding too. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't exactly decline her offer to be a bridesmaid- she had the most youthful and innocent eyes that I couldn't imagine anyone had ever said no to.

"A bridesmaid? Are you kidding me?" Ginny exclaims after I tell her Scarlet's plans. Harry, Ginny and I are in the kitchen at Potter Manor sitting around the table and Teddy is playing with Stella in the other room. "Draco must know that this would bother you-"

"He doesn't know how I feel about him, remember?" I say softly. Harry and Ginny look at each other and sigh. "And she has moved in with us now. So all of the wedding preparations are happening in my house."

"You could crash here for a little while?" Harry suggests.

I smile sadly and say, "I wish I could, Haz, but I have to stay solid in all of this. I guess we are supposed to become some blended family."

"I wish I could get you out of this," Harry says, giving my hand a light squeeze.

"I know, but it is what it is. Such is life," I say sadly, averting my eyes from Harry and Ginny's sympathetic expressions. "Now apparently I have to go with Scarlet and the other bridesmaids to look at wedding dresses. Fun."

IT IS SOMEWHAT awkward eating dinner with Draco and Scarlet. And not in the third wheel way, but in the 'His-girlfriend-is-trying-to-involve-me-in-every-conversation-they-have' kind of way. And the whole time, Scarlet is acting like they are already married. She says things about dropping Stella off at her mother's on afternoons- which I promptly shoot down with 'She is babysat by my Aunt Molly and Narcissa, she is well taken care of'- and she talks about Stella like she is _her_ daughter. When she is most definitely not Scarlet's daughter. She is Daphne's, Blaise's, Draco's, and mine.

"So Allison, will your parents be attending the wedding?" Scarlet asks absentmindedly. I nearly drop my fork and look up at Draco who is squirming uncomfortably. Scarlet looks at Draco and furrows her eyebrows. "What?"

Draco goes to explain but I cut him off. "My parents are dead. Dad died in the First Wizarding War, before I was born, and Mum died in the Second Wizarding War. The Battle of Hogwarts, actually."

"Oh," Scarlet says, seemingly at a loss for words. I nod solemnly and excuse myself from the table. I make my way up to my room and just fall onto my bed and stare at the ceiling. Soon a knocking interrupts my thoughts. I mutter an 'it's open' and Draco walks in. But he doesn't look sympathetic or caring, he looks upset. With me.

"What the hell was that?" he says. I look at him in shock as he continues. "Scarlet feels awful now! And it's because of what you said to her!"

"She's the one who asked where my parents were!" I exclaim, letting the heat freely rise to redden and darken my face. "Was I supposed to say that they'd just gone on a sweet vacation to Candyland?"

"No, but you should have been more considerate!" he retorts. I scoff as I walk over to the other side of my room and face the window. "It's not like she asked because she knew they were dead, she didn't know!"

"Well personally, Draco, I don't feel that my words were harsh at all," I defend, turning to him and crossing my arms. This really sets him off. I can tell because he sighs loudly and runs his hands through his hair at a speed that one would think he was pulling his hair out.

" _Merlin,_ Allison! You always act like this!" he really yells this time. However the yelling doesn't take me aback nearly as much as his next words do. "No matter what happens it isn't your fault! Hell, your mother died because of you and you still didn't think it was your fault!"

He freezes. As soon as the venomous words escape his mouth he freezes. His face softens and his expression contorts into a sympathetic one as he tries to fix what he said. But he can't. Not right now, anyways.

"Al-" he attempts, but I am already pushing past him out the door. He follows me downstairs and I realize that Scarlet must have gone to bed. "Please wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

Before I reach the front door I turn around with nothing but a few tears and a look of sadness. Quickly after meeting his eyes I avert my gaze and turn back towards the door. I hesitate for a moment, but after a second I walk out the door and slam it shut. I don't plan on going to the Burrow tonight. I do plan however to go somewhere with strong firewhiskey and someone to meaninglessly sleep with. The perfect place to distract me from my problems.

The Three Broomsticks.

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	8. Chapter 7

_"Allison," Mum says quickly, looking over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure that no Death Eaters are around. We are walking in the rubble of what used to be the courtyard. Harry just proved he was alive and the fighting has started again. I am going with my mother to find my cousins and Aunt Molly. "If I don't make it out of this battle alive, I want you to know that I love you more than anything in the world."_

 _"Don't talk that way, Mum," I say nervously, squeezing her hand. "You will make it out of this battle alive."_

I wake up the next morning and I feel awful. I didn't actually end up sleeping with anyone, unfortunately. I could really use it. But after one glass of whiskey I did end up running into Seamus Finnigan, who decided I had had enough to drink and took me to Hermione and Ron's place. Now I am laying in their guest room with a nasty hangover. I hear a knock at the door and wince. When Hermione enters, there is no sympathetic look for making a loud noise but instead a glower for getting drunk at the Three Broomsticks last night.

"What were you thinking, Allison?" she scolds, pointing at me like I'm her child. Better her scold me than Draco yell at me for being irresponsible. "Getting drunk _alone_? Who knows what could have happened to you had Seamus not been a gentleman and taken you here? You could have been hurt or, or- or killed!"

"I know, Hermione," I say apologetically, looking down at my hands. "I was really stupid last night. And I walked out on Draco, _again_."

"Okay, now tell me why you did it," she says, sitting down on the bed. "Why you went to get shitfaced at the Three Broomsticks, that is."

"We were fighting because Scarlet asked if my parents were going to the wedding and I told her that they were dead," I begin. Already, Hermione furrows her eyebrows and goes to speak but stops to let me continue. "And we got in a short shouting match which ended in him saying something along the lines of my mother's death being my fault."

"He said what?!" she exclaims, standing up as I clutch my forehead. She quiets and sits down when she notices me flinch. "Sorry. But he said it was your fault? Are you kidding? But you did everything you could-"

"I know," I say, cutting her off. At this point I am sitting with my feet under me and Hermione is standing at my bedside. "I've got to go back though. And before Scarlet knows I'm gone. I don't want her to decide that Stella is her daughter."

"Maybe you could wait it out a bit longer? Stay here with Ron and I?"

"I really just have to tough through it," I insist. "I've already run away from him enough times. I've gotta go now."

"GOOD MORNING, Allison!" Scarlet beams as I walk into the kitchen. I made sure to go through my bedroom window- I had to climb the tree up to reach the second story- and walk downstairs that way so that Scarlet would think I just woke up late. She shouldn't know about the argument Draco and I had last night. "How'd you sleep?"

"I slept well, thanks," I say, smiling, as I sit down at the table with her. I have decided to try and be friends with Scarlet. Like, actual friends. Not just me keeping face. I am going to get rid of my feelings for Draco and focus on being a bridesmaid and being happy for their wedding. "How about you?"

"Well, I was sort of afraid that you were upset with me," she says with a nervous chuckle, looking down and rubbing the back of her neck. "Draco seemed uneasy about it too. I'm sorry for-"

"No, you don't have to be sorry at all, Scarlet," I say quickly. "You didn't know my parents were dead. It wasn't your fault that I got so upset over it. So I am the one that should be sorry."

"Thank you for being so understanding," Scarlet says, reaching across the table to grab my hand. I give hers a squeeze and look up to see Draco standing in the doorway, mouth hanging agape. Scarlet follows my gaze and smiles at him. "Draco! Always the late riser."

"Er, yeah," he says, running his hands through his hair and approaching us. "Stella is in her playpen in the parlor."

"I'll go see her then," I say, getting up from my chair. Draco nods and follows me to the parlor.

"When did you get back?" he asks once he closes the parlor door. "I waited up for you."

"I got back this morning. I crashed at Hermione's," I lie, hoping he will buy it. Unfortunately he has seen me lie enough times to see it. "Okay, I went to the Three Broomsticks, had a glass of whiskey, and then I ran into Seamus Finnigan who took me to Hermione's."

"Thank you."

"For what?" I ask, Stella now in my arms, as I approach him.

"For apologizing to Scarlet," he replies, also taking a step closer. "And for making an effort with her. I know that it means a lot to her."

"It's not a problem," I say. "I figure that, being a bridesmaid and all, I should try harder to be friends with her."

"Well I appreciate it," he says finally, pulling me into a hug. Stella, mushed between us, starts giggling, which makes us pull apart and start playing with her.

Maybe we will be okay again.

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	9. Chapter 8

"So, Allison, what do you do for a living?" asks one of Scarlet's sisters- I think it was Sienna- as we sit waiting for our orders to arrive. Scarlet insisted that I go to a dinner with all of the other bridesmaids so that I could get better acquainted with them. Especially considering the fact that I will have to spend a lot of time with them in the near future.

"I am CEO of McLaggen Industries," I reply. "The only person above me is Cormac McLaggen himself. And he really only steps in occasionally. So I get to make most of the decisions."

"Oh my goodness!" says Sarah—the youngest of Scarlet's sisters—her mouth falling agape. "I've been trying to work at McLaggen Industries for months!"

"Oh really?" I ask, raising my eyebrows, impressed. It's not often someone shows such enthusiasm to get a job at McLaggen. People definitely want to work there, but they usually don't seem so eager. "That's wonderful. What department would you like to enter?"

"Well, I would really like to work in the Fashion Department," she says shyly, messing with the rings on her fingers. "I'm really big on design. I've just always wanted to do it, you know?"

"Yeah I do, well I'm sure that there is room for you down in our design department," I begin. Sarah's face lights up. Scarlet smiles brightly at me as well. "Just owl me your resume and I will put you to work."

"Of course!" she says happily.

THE REST of dinner last night went very well. Scarlet's sisters, who all seemed skeptical of me at first, started to warm up to me. To which Scarlet seemed extremely grateful. We also started to plan when we would go dress shopping—for Scarlet's dress and our dresses—and ended up getting along quite nicely.

Now it is Sunday brunch at the Burrow and Draco and I are going with Stella. Draco was initially going to stay since he didn't figure Scarlet could go, but she insisted that he attend because it was my family. I appreciated that.

"We would like to tell you all something that we're very excited about," Percy says, taking Audrey's hand as the two of them stand up. All of us eagerly turn our heads to hear. "We are expecting a baby."

"Oh my goodness!" Aunt Molly beams, standing and running to hug her son and her daughter-in-law. We all add in words of congratulation and the rest of brunch is spent happily chatting about the great news. Soon though, the subject came to Draco and Scarlet's wedding.

"When is it happening?" Bill asks. I squirm uncomfortably in my seat on the couch as the questions about the weddings are asked. Of course to be fair, most of them don't know of my feelings for him. Only Hermione, Ginny, and Harry.

"I think we have decided on April the sixteenth," Draco replies. I double take for a moment as I process.

"That's only three months away!" Percy echoes my thoughts. Everyone seems shocked and Hermione and Harry give me sympathetic looks. Ginny is in the other room with the children.

"Yeah, Scarlet is really just ready to be married. Wants it as soon as possible," Draco explains, rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his.

"And what about you? Are you as eager as she is?" Fleur asks with a knowing expression. Draco looks down and begins to answer, but he is saved by the fireplace.

"We're back!" exclaims Angelina as she and George enter through the fireplace. Everyone seems to drop the topic of Draco's wedding as the gush over the newlyweds. Everyone except for Hermione and Harry, who look sadly at me as they go to greet George and Angelina, and Fleur, who pulls me aside.

"Are you okay about it?" she asks. "About the wedding?"

"I have to be, don't I?" I say. She shakes her head and takes my hand.

"That's not what I meant," she says. "I don't think you are okay about the wedding, and I don't think that he is either."

"Well whether he is ready or not, he is engaged to Scarlet," I reply. "And I have to get myself over him."

"It will work out, Allison," Fleur says, pulling me into a tight hug. "I know it will."

"Thank you, Fleur,"

AFTER BRUNCH, Draco and I got home and Scarlet's sisters arrived to plan Scarlet's bachelorette party. Draco was given the task to take Scarlet out and keep her busy while we planned. The party was to be a sort of sleepover type party, where we would all crash at Sienna's flat—her husband agreed to stay with his friend for the night of the party—and play lots of games, watch muggle films, and go out for midnight snacks. Scarlet didn't drink, and she really wanted us to all bond over the experience of planning the wedding. That's why we all knew this would be the perfect idea. We decided on the party being the following Friday night.

"I think that it is just brilliant," says Samantha proudly as we talk about the final details of Scarlet's bachelorette party. They all nod in agreement and I nod slowly, trying to hide any negative feelings. I really do like Scarlet and her sisters. The closest I ever had to sisters growing up were Ginny and Daphne. Now I also have Hermione and Fleur. And just having spent time with Scarlet and her sisters, I feel like I'm one of them in a way. It's comforting.

"It's very fitting for Scarlet," says Sarah in agreement. "But I think we'd better leave before Scarlet and Draco get home. He can only distract her for so long."

The girls laugh and I chuckle lightly as they gather their coats and I bid goodbyes. One by one, they enter the fireplace to floo home, and not even a minute passes before Draco and Scarlet walk in through the fireplace.

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	10. Chapter 9

"Miss Prewett," says my personal assistant, Lionel. He has been my assistant for a long time but still insists that he call me 'Miss Prewett' and not Allison. I think he just likes the formality. "You've got a guest waiting in the lobby. Should I send her up?"

"Yes, of course," I say. I assume that it is Sarah. This was about the time that we agreed upon for her personal orientation. Lionel walks out the door but walks back in less than a minute later.

"Oh, and," he says. "You've also got your half eleven appointment with Sarah Brighton in fifteen minutes."

I panic for a moment. If the guest wasn't Sarah, then who was it? I try to relax myself before asking, "Who is the guest?"

"Well she says her name is Elizabeth—"

"What?" I question, my eyes widening. "What is _she_ doing here?"

"Well she—"

"Now, don't tell me you aren't happy to see you're Aunty Liz?" says a voice from behind Lionel. I stiffen and Lionel gulps at my expression before scurrying out of the office. Elizabeth slowly walks further into my office and closes the door. "How are you, Allie darling?"

"I'm fine," I say, trying my hardest not to break under the serious pressure of her stare. But I cringe on the inside when she calls me Allie. "And you know how I feel about you calling me Allie."

"Oh, don't be such a killjoy, darling!" she exclaims. "I just wanted to see my favorite niece and see how she's doing is all."

"Or are you trying to trick me into giving you more money?" I ask, arching an eyebrow. "Just like—oh, I don't know—every other time you've sought me or mother out?"

"Don't be so uptight, love. I just need a little bit and then I'm out of your hair for good."

"I'm not giving you anything, Elizabeth," I say sternly. All she does is chuckle a little bit before rifling through her bag and pulling something out that I haven't seen since it was stolen from me a year ago. My mother's locket. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, nowhere that you need to be concerned of, my darling," she says. I can tell her intentions right away. "I just figured you might want the first pop at buying it."

"You're going to _sell_ it?" I shout, standing up. "You planned on selling my mother's locket?"

"Well of course, love, don't be silly," she retorts. "Don't you know how much I could get for it? A locket that can—"

"Okay what do you want for it?" I crumble. As much as I hate having to buy back something that belongs to me, it beats having Elizabeth selling it to greedy wizards who have no sentimental attachment to it. Elizabeth's lips curve up to form a nasty smirk.

"I knew you'd come around."

"ARE YOU okay, Al?" asks Harry from next to me as we sit around the table for dinner. Scarlet wanted to meet some of my family so she had me invite the lot over for dinner at our house.

"You do look a bit pale, dear," says Aunt Molly. At this point all attention is on me. "What is the matter?"

"Elizabeth showed up today."

Everyone—except for Scarlet, who didn't know—at the table sighed in unison.

"Not her again," says Draco, squeezing my hand from across the table. "I remember last time she came around."

"We all do," agrees George.

"This time it was different," I explain. "She had mum's locket."

"You don't mean—"

"Yes, that's the one. She made me buy it from her," I say. Everyone gives me a sympathetic look. Scarlet still looks confused.

"Who is Elizabeth?" she says quietly. Ginny looks at me for approval before explaining to Scarlet.

"Elizabeth is Allison's maternal Aunt. Her mother's sister if you will," Ginny began. "When Allison's father died, Elizabeth shoved herself into Allison's mother, Cathleen's life. Assumed that she needed help. Convinced her, even, that she probably should conjoin their vaults at Gringott's so that Elizabeth could 'help her out'. As soon as the vaults were joined, Elizabeth ran off with all the money left from Uncle Fabian."

"Oh my goodness, that's so awful," Scarlet says. "I'm so sorry, Al."

"That's not even the half of it," I say. "See Elizabeth has a really bad habit of spending money she doesn't have, making deals with sketchy wizards, and getting herself in enormous debt. Whenever she finds herself in a bind, she came to us. Even as manipulative as she is and always has been, my mother could never turn her away. But when Mum died, she bribed the funeral director to cremate her and send me the ashes in a jar. I didn't even get to give my mother a proper burial because Elizabeth wanted to pinch the sickles that weren't even hers in the first place."

"Are you serious?"

"Yep. Today was the first time I have seen her since I confronted her about Mum. I just can't believe she would do such a thing as steal my mother's locket," I sigh.

HOW DID you know about Elizabeth, by the way?" I ask Draco as we are cleaning up. After I shared my struggle of the day, I shook off the serious mood and forced the conversation to happier topics. I couldn't bear to bring down my family. The night got happier when we discussed cute names for Percy and Audrey's baby. Currently, Scarlet is in bed, as is Stella.

"Well for a little while all I knew was that you were depressed," he started. "I sort of assumed that it was because your mother died in the war and that it was still so recent. I made a comment when I was with Blaise and Daphne about how I felt bad for you, and Daphne told me what had happened. She said that you needed our support then more than ever."

"That's a very Daphne thing to have said," I say. I stick out my tongue at him and add, "But all you did was continue to tease me relentlessly for two more years."

"But the thing is, I didn't truly understand what it meant to be there for someone," he explained. "I didn't get what it was to be completely supportive of someone. The reason I kept up the banter so much at that point was because I figured that it might lighten the mood. Help distract you from being sad. Our banter is what helped distract me from my issues all through Hogwarts, you know."

"Really?" I question. "I always thought that you hated me."

"No, I never hated you. I thought you disliked me though."

"Actually, I did not hate you," I say. "I wanted you and Blaise to think I was as cool as you thought Daphne was."

"Blaise made me promise not to tease her," Draco chuckles. "He was smitten from the start. Love at first sight as one might say."

"Classic Blaise," I smile sadly, remembering our best friends. "Stella looks just like him."

"Parts yes, but her eyes are definitely Daphne's," he says, turning to look at me. "But I think she picked up her laugh from you."

"Me?" I snort. "How do you figure that?"

"Well it's the kind of laugh that just makes you want to laugh too," he says. "It really brings light to everyone it reaches. One of the prettiest sounds in the world."

I blush a bit and suddenly realize the proximity between us. We start getting closer but I feel too guilty to continue.

"Draco what are we doing?" I ask, letting a tear fall. "You're engaged to a wonderful woman."

"I'm sorry," he says quietly, looking down and rubbing the back of his neck. "I shouldn't have tried to do that."

Before I can say another word, Draco stalks off to his room.

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


	11. Chapter 10

After the almost-kiss, Draco and I made an unspoken agreement to not bring it up. At all. I don't think either of us really wanted to talk about it, so we avoided the topic. Unfortunately, he also started being a lot more awkward around me. It was like we couldn't hold a conversation without him making some lame excuse to leave.

Rather than run to tell Hermione or Harry, I thought it best to keep the exchange between Draco and I. What if Scarlet found out? Or one of her sisters? It would ruin the new friendships that I have built.

I have also been spending a lot more time with Scarlet. The two of us have grown very close and getting to know her has been a wonderful experience. The more her true self shows, the more she reminds me of Blaise. Like him in the way that he was compassionate, easy-going, and innocently spoke his mind. Blaise always had such a youthful presence, something that is definitely present in Scarlet.

Currently, Scarlet and I are at a café talking about wedding details.

"Hey, Al," she pauses. "I wanted to ask you a question."

"Ask away," I say, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Well…" she trails off, looking down at her hands. "I wanted to know if you would be my Maid of Honor."

"Really? Me?" I question, sitting back in awe. "I figured Sarah had already filled that role."

"I actually didn't have one," she admits. "I didn't want to have to choose between my sisters. But now that I've gotten to know you, I would love it if you would be my Maid of Honor!"

"Are you sure?" I ask. She nods vigorously, causing me to crack a grin. "Alright. I will do it."

"Yay!" she squeals, standing up and hugging me. "Now, we've got to meet Draco at the bakery to try cakes!"

"Both of us?" I ask.

"Yeah! You _are_ the Maid of Honor, after all!"

"HEY," DRACO greets as we enter the little bakery. He glances at me and furrows his eyebrows. Scarlet explains that I am her Maid of Honor, and he nods, but tenses up a bit.

"Where is the Best Man?" Scarlet asks. Draco's eyes widen.

" _Shit!_ I forgot I had to get one of those," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "I only hang out with two guys. Theodore and Dean."

Draco and Dean both worked in the same department at the Ministry—Department of Magical Games and Sports—and became good friends after Blaise died (Dean was also a good friend of Blaise's). They both were surprised, but were nevertheless glad to have another friend. Especially since Blaise was gone.

"But you have to have _four_ groomsmen! You know, to match my number of Bridesmaids?" Scarlet points out.

Draco is at a loss for words when I mention, "You like Harry and Ron, right? I'm sure they'd be more than happy to be your groomsmen!"

"Right," he agrees, color coming back to his previously nervously color-drained skin. "Yeah. Can you ask them?"

"I'm sure it would mean more coming from you," I say. He silently begs me so I roll my eyes. "Alright. I will ask them."

AFTER TRYING about forty different variations of the same angel food cake, a decision was made and I was off to meet Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny for dinner.

"So, Draco wanted me to ask," I say to them once we have picked a table at the restaurant. "Will you two be groomsmen for the wedding?"

"I don't know if I can do that, Al," Harry says. "On principle. It's the wedding of the man you're in love with and some other woman. I would feel so guilty."

"Yeah, I like Draco and all," Ron agrees. "But this wedding makes you upset enough."

"Please!" I plead. "I am the one who suggested it because Scarlet is a close friend now and I am trying to get _over_ my feelings for Draco. How can I get over him if I—along with all my friends—am still walking on eggshells around this wedding?"

"She does have a point," says Hermione. The guys look at her with their eyebrows raised as she continues. "The best way to move forward is to invite Scarlet warmly into the family like we have Draco. And by you two agreeing to be groomsmen you will be proving to her that you are on board."

"I guess you're right. I'll be a groomsman," Harry agrees. Ron nods as well.

"Yeah, I'll do it," he says. "But I'll do it while silently willing him to call it off and be with you."

"Ron!" I exclaim, but I can't help but chuckle a little bit at my cousin's antics.

 _Forget the past and all the heartache,_

 _The growing pains that keep you awake,_

 _I'll sing you to sleep_

 _With songs that let you know that we'll be ok_

 _Round and round and round this goes,_

 _Playing on your stereos,_

 _When I'm away and you can't sleep,_

 _Just know that it's the same for me_


End file.
